


Partners In Crime

by CentauriRose (Miss_Lucy_Jackson)



Series: Centauri's Angel Fiction [5]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Angels, Demons, F/M, Fluff, Gay Baiting, Hercules Gets Trapped In A Sword, Heterosexual, Homosexual, Love, M/M, Psychopath! Oriel, Romance, War, gay angels, hella gay, kinda gay, scientific experimentation, set it off, so much gay
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-13
Updated: 2017-02-24
Packaged: 2018-09-08 09:06:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,436
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8838655
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Miss_Lucy_Jackson/pseuds/CentauriRose
Summary: Hercules and Brimstone, two war generals with a past deeply rooted in intense trauma. They served together, and they suffered together. When they moved on from the war, they thought it would be the end. They were wrong.(Changes between Hercules', Brimstone's, and Skyllar's point of view throughout the story)





	1. Hercules

Chapter One: Hercules

 

My relationship with Brimstone, oh, it’s incredibly complicated. We grew up in a time when homosexual love was taboo. Even though so much progress has been done since I was a kid, psychologically, I can’t actually fathom going to bed and waking up next to him. So I never acted. We went to war together. The First Demon War was my escape when I killed my father. I’ll discuss that later. But anyways. Brimstone and I trained together, and we became closer than those small town best friends we were in Clearwater. 

 

My first kill as a soldier, it was traumatic to say the least. Being the soft hearted man I was, it wasn’t exactly a pleasurable experience. I hated it. It was different when I sliced my father’s throat open. 

 

That night, I cried myself to sleep in the barracks. Brimstone was literally a small three foot space from me. He came back from enjoying a victory part in the mess to find me curled up in my bed, sobbing into my pillow. 

 

“Herc, you okay?” he dropped to his knees at my bedside, stroking my pastel eggshell white wings. 

 

“Brimstone, I-I can’t do th-this,” I babbled, “I ain’t a s-soldier.”

 

“The hell you aren’t. You were made for this, Hercules. You’re a Jackson,” he said, “you’re a soldier. You’re the strongest guy I’ve ever met.” 

 

“Yeah, whatever,” I rolled my eyes, my emotions calming down.

 

“You’re a sweet guy, but you’re pretty mentally strong for a small town boy,” Brimstone rested his head on my shoulder. 

 

“You think so?” I looked at him, a bright smile on my face. 

 

“Absolutely. You're my best friend, how else would I know?” 

 

Friend zoned. 

 

“I don't know,” I mumbled.

 

“Get some sleep,” he patted my shoulder.

 

XXX

 

Killing became seamless. Extensive study into demonic anatomy led to my kills becoming quick and painless. Brimstone and I became ruthless murders. Sneaking into demon camps and slicing their throats as they slept. 

 

Our kill totals soared. We rose to be generals, commanding battalions, garrisons, entire sections of the armies of the great Archangel Empire. Merciless we became. Hunters we thrived. 

 

On that particular night, Brimstone and I were chasing a known demon commander. He darted through the trees. Brimstone’s and my brows were sticky with sweat, trapping strands of our hair to our foreheads. The night was quiet except for the beast’s ragged breathing. 

 

I hissed sharply, closing in. I slashed wildly, slicing open the beast’s Achilles' tendons. The demon fell to the ground, screaming like a wounded animal. I stood over him. Brimstone came up behind me, touching my arm. 

 

Let me take a moment to explain the significant aspect of him touching my arm. After every battle, even after every fight in school, Brimstone would touch my arm, like asking if I was okay, if I was still sane. If I could still feel. 

 

“You disgusting beasts, killing our soldiers while they slept!” the demon cursed us. 

 

“Kill him, Brimstone,” I snarled, offering my brother the blade. 

 

“You will never be respected for something so cowardly!” the demon shouted. 

 

“Shut up!” Brimstone kicked the demon’s side, making the wounded creature holler. 

 

“Kill him,” I insisted.

 

“You murdered my son!” the demon accused, “he was just nineteen!” 

 

“Don't send a child to fight a man’s war,” Brimstone hissed, slamming his boot into the demon’s face. 

 

I heard the all too familiar sound of bones shattering. Blood splattered everywhere. Brimstone smirked and picked up his sword, aiming the tip at the demon’s neck. One quick movement, and the demon was choking on his own blood. We watched the blood of the beast we were hunting turn the ground a dark brown shade. 

 

“Hercules,” Brimstone was at my side at an instant, turning his attention to me, a firm hand on my waist, and one on my shoulder.

 

“Brimstone, bloody hell, that… was brutal,” I exhaled, “I'm fine, brother.” 

 

“You went quiet. You never go quiet. Sit,” he set me down on a stump. 

 

“My shoulder is giving me trouble again,” I said softly, “as is my back.” 

 

“If I have to, I'll bathe you tonight. That cute nurse is slack,” Brimstone hinted at my attraction to him.

 

“Her boobs were nice,” I laughed. 

 

“Of course you were looking at her boobs,” he chuckled, “I'm more of a face kinda guy, but small boobs hit me in the heart.” 

 

“They make good pillows,” I rolled my eyes, “guess you like flat pillows.” 

 

“We both know you're a virgin,” Brimstone chirped, opening our lunch bag and handing me a chocolate brownie, “this is what happens when you flirt with the nurses and make a few of them limp for a few days.” 

 

“Whoa,” I held the brownie in my hands, “it's been forever since I've had one of these.” 

 

“Do I have to feed you too?” he laughed, putting the brownie to my lips.

 

“I can feed myself, thank you,” I said sternly. 

 

I took a bite of the brownie, moaning at how good the chocolate concoction of batter tasted. I swallowed down the sweet cake and smiled. I yawned softly. 

 

“You make eating a brownie like a freakin’ adult movie,” he looked away, “when do you plan on getting a girlfriend?” 

 

“Whenever I meet the right one,” I said softly. 

 

XXX 

 

That night, to my disbelief, that right girl walked into my life. My sexuality was slated in stone, and it was something I couldn't just change. 

 

I was sitting in my bath, the warm water relaxing tight muscles and stressed joints. I sighed, leaning my head back. 

 

“General Hercules,” a feminine voice called out. 

 

“Come in, dear,” I sighed. 

 

She stepped in, and I completely lost my mind. She was curvy, like a woman should be. Long locks of brown hair to back framed her face. I practically was in love right then. She had soft looking porcelain white skin. The nurse outfit did her so much justice. The short skirt fell to her mid thigh, and I longed to see how she kept that thing down while running around the infirmary. The overshirt highlighted her huge chest. 

 

“Um, hi,” I said, sinking into the bath deeper. 

 

“I'm Diana, General,” she saluted, and her breasts bounced with the movement of standing at attention. 

 

“And I have to go straight to the archangels after this,” I sunk deeper into the bath. 

 

“Well, what do you want me to do?” she asked.

 

“Rub my wings, please,” I said softly. 

 

I extended my pastel white wings out. She grabbed vanilla scented out and started working the oil into my feathers. I instantly relaxed, and then the fun started. She found a clump of matted feathers and started working the matted area out. I moaned at how amazing it felt. 

 

“Sir, does it feel good?” her voice was barely a whisper.

 

“Yeah, keep going, doll,” I told her.

 

“Sure,” she continued on.

 

Let's just say, I missed that meeting. Completely. I woke up curled up next to her.

 

XXX

 

Two years later, we got married, and she was pregnant with twins at the time of the ceremony. We had a stereotypical shotgun wedding. Her father accepted me into the family. Diana was the only daughter of a vampire hunting family, her ideals about war very patriotic, and I knew that I loved her. 

 

When Skyllar and Skyla were born, it changed my entire universe. I intended to raise them well. And four more births later, I was the retired war general Hercules, with six kids and a beautiful wife in Clearwater, Enochia. Raising six kids, all within a year or so in age difference between each one, it was challenging, but Diana and I did it. 

 

We had a two bedroom trailer, and the kids had bunk beds in the master bedroom, while Diana and I had the other bedroom. Skyllar and Skyla proved to be smart children, Skyla being picked up to be a Valkyrie Princess. Skyllar proved incredibly inclined for war studies. Things were happy, until the Second Demon War began.


	2. Brimstone

Chapter Two: Brimstone

 

I was sitting in my living room, curled up on the couch with my wife, Jackie, laying next to me. She'd come home from radiation treatments just fifteen minutes before. I turned on the television set. Akiva, my son, and Summer, my daughter, walked in with their homework, asking me to check it. I reviewed the algebra problems and halfway listened to the news. 

 

“The Second Demon War has been declared in downtown Lindenguard,” I heard on the television set. 

 

“Brimstone,” Jackie whispered, putting her hand on my shoulder. 

 

“Akiva, give me your phone!” I shouted. 

 

Akiva tossed me his phone. I typed Hercules’ cellphone number in the contacts list. I hit the green graphic and put the phone to my ear. 

 

It rang.

 

And rang.

 

“Hello? Akiva, what's wrong?” Hercules said over the other end of the line. 

 

“It's Brimstone. This was the first phone I could grab. Turn on the television now. It's all over the news. The demons declared war again. Looks like we are back in action,” I smiled softly.

 

“You're serious? We have to meet face to face, then. We can't actually be going off to war. Jackie has cancer, Brimstone! She can't be left alone!” Hercules argued. 

 

“I can still kick your butt all the way to Valkyra,” Jackie stated, her voice so soft.

 

“And if she needs anyone, I can help her,” Diana said wherever she was on the other end of the line.

 

“Of course,” I sighed, “I'll be over in ten minutes.”

 

I loaded up the family, even our dog, Potato, and went to Hercules’ house. I saw Skyllar, crossbow in hand, standing on the front porch. He had this fierce, protective look on his face. The countenance melted into a soft, kind version. 

 

“Uncle Brimstone, thank God,” he said as I opened my door and stepped out. 

 

I smiled at the boy, and I helped Jackie out. She hobbled up the steps with help from Akiva and Summer. Potato started sniffing the bags I carried up the porch steps. Inside was chaos. Diana was ushering the younger children to grab clothes and toys. 

 

“Hercules!” I yelled to him. 

 

He was packing away food in a box. “Grab the meats from the fridge,” he ordered Akiva and Summer. 

 

“Are you sure this is necessary?” Hercules’ second born son, Tyler, asked quietly. 

 

“Do you want to be dragged out of your home by strangers while they kill your entire family?” Hercules whipped around and faced his thirteen year old with such ferocity, I thought he would smite the boy right there.

 

“No, sir,” Tyler straightened up.

 

“Then go grab the guns from the safe,” I stated. 

 

Tyler scrambled away, and I started loading supplies to the truck. I took the first load to the bunker, unloading it as fast as I could. This process happened several times, and I was quite satisfied with the results. There was enough food to feed all of us for a week or so, at least.

 

Once we were all inside the bunker, we could hear the footsteps outside of the Military Police checking around to be sure the bunkers were locked and secure. I checked up on Jackie. She was sitting with Hercules’ daughter, Mal, asleep on her lap. 

 

“Military Police, open up,” we heard outside the door to the bunker. 

 

I opened the doors, “report.”

 

“General Brimstone, sir, we have confirmed that the demons have breached Clearwater city limits. We have to ask you to defend yourselves,” the first person to speak up was a young kid. 

 

“Alright. Will do. We have to hold them off for how long?” I asked.

 

“Two days, sir,” the kid said sadly.

 

“Go then,” I clasped his shoulder, “fight for your people, my child.”

 

I returned to the safety of the bunker. I sent a silent prayer to whatever deity felt like listening. My first instinct was to blindly walk into whatever mess was going on and slaughter the attackers, but I had two children to take care of, not to mention Jackie could never take care of herself without anyone around.

 

“What’s the situation, brother?” Hercules put his hand on my shoulder and turned me to face him.

 

“We face invasion.”

 

XXX

 

The marching of boots on the ground above us was what woke me up at three in the morning. I grabbed my favorite handgun and shook Hercules awake. He looked at me with this doe eyed countenance that made me realize how civilian life had ruined our warrior skills. 

 

I stood up and woke Skyllar and Akiva. They quietly grabbed some weapons and some ammunition. There was no telling what we were facing.

 

Hercules cracked the bunker door. He slipped out, and we followed. I held my gun tightly, which consequently turned my knuckles paper white. We perched up behind a big tree.

 

Before us was a terrible sight. The local priestess in waiting was cornered by three demon soldiers. They were a soul hardening sight with huge spikes on their armor and skin. They had toxic yellow eyes that shone in the low light. 

 

“Come on, little priestess,” the biggest one jeered, using the tip of his sword to lift up the hem of the girl’s nightgown, “if your sisters can be such sluts for angels, why can’t we have some?”

 

“Maria,” Skyllar stated softly. 

 

I held the boy back. He was shaking with anger. There was no doubt he knew her.

 

“No!” the girl shouted, her golden blonde hair bouncing, “I will not submit to beasts like you.”

 

“She’s got a mouth on her, doesn’t she, boys?” the biggest demon dropped his sword and grabbed the girl by the shoulders.

 

She screamed like a terrified child, and he shoved her to his knees. I could tell the others were amused. The smallest one started to fumble with his crotch armor. Skyllar rose from his hiding spot. 

 

The biggest demon held the priestess in waiting still. Hercules rose as well, grabbing his gun. I exhaled. 

 

“Leave the fair maiden be,” Skyllar shouted out into the night, a voice twice his size. 

 

“Oh, a noble little angel, coming to rescue the priestess,” the biggest one approached Skyllar. 

 

“Stand back,” Skyllar pulled out his gun, “take your weapons and leave.”

 

“Oh, big hoss, thinks he’s got a set of brass balls on him, yeah, boys?” the smallest laughed, “your girl will be enjoying herself in a few minutes.”

 

“You will not lay a hand on her!” Skyllar screeched.

 

“Hmm, well, seems I’ve already done that,” the biggest one picked up his blade. 

 

“Skyllar, go,” the girl said with a shaking voice. 

 

“I’m not leaving you, for you carry my daughter,” the boy stated.

 

The demons froze. To kill a pregnant female angel was considered dishonorable to demons. To rape or torture one was even worse. It was worthy of execution. 

 

Before anything else could happen, Skyllar fired three shots, and all three hit their marks. The demons crumpled to the ground in misshapen heaps. Maria ran to him, crashing into his chest.

 

“She’s pregnant?” Hercules walked up behind his son.

 

“No, I lied big time, Dad,” the boy cradled his girlfriend close, “no children until marriage.” 

 

“Of course,” my partner laughed, “just like your old man.”

 

“Time to purge these streets,” I said, turning to the nearest road.


	3. Skyllar

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This one was depressing to write.

Chapter Three: Skyllar

Dad looked incredibly dark when we walked through the shopping district of Clearwater. Not like he was a darker skin tone, but his face was angry, either that or just haunted. I could only begin to imagine the scarring moments of the First Demon War he must have endured. 

“Sky,” Maria tapped my shoulder, “let me take that extra gun you have.”

“Go ahead,” I took it off my belt and offered it to her, barrel at the ground. 

She cradled the small pistol, looking at it intently before stowing it in the folds of her dress. She was beautiful in the morning light, her long waves of blonde hair framing her face. She looked exquisite, and her eyes sparkled as she examined the firearm in her hands. 

“Do you like it, dear?” I asked, noticing that psychopathic glint in her eyes all Cobain women had as she glanced back up at me. 

“It is a gift from you, so of course, Sky,” she grinned, trotting up to my side. 

“Come on, you two,” Dad called, a bit of a laugh starting in his throat. 

We followed him all the way to Dad’s factory. There were plenty of demons gathered around a single male angel. He was huge, about Dad’s height, and sported fifty foot wings. Long blonde hair made him look extremely feminine. Thin wire glasses provided him the air of a doctor or physician. 

I grabbed my weapon, and made sure the safety was off. Dad put his hand on my shoulder.

The unknown male angel addressed the demons all around him, “dear, dear followers, we are here for one reason, and one reason only. We have to capture whatever generals we can. They hold secrets we need for our mission.”

“Dad, go home,” I hissed sternly. 

“I'm not leaving. Oriel will not take me,” he reassured me. 

I snuck around closer. The angel in the center of these demons, he must've been Oriel. He rambled about changing the world for the demons. And something about the Nexus angel? I couldn't comprehend what he was saying. It sounded like he was a cult leader. 

The demons hung onto every word he said. Their eyes were empty like they lacked a soul. Brimstone shuddered next to me. Who knew what these demons had seen? 

“Skyllar, you take the left. Brimstone, keep watch over Maria. I'll go right,” Dad whispered. 

I stealthily made my way to the left flank of the demons. Dad moved like a shadow around to his position, and I could see him just barely in the building’s shadows. I settled down on a window sill, looking at Oriel.

“My lovely creatures, your orders are absolute. Do not fail me. But tonight's mission will be easy,” Oriel smirked and looked in Dad’s direction, “Hercules, dear, do step out! I want you to meet my army.” 

Dad froze. His face fell. He stepped out of the shadows and into the light of the factory’s emergency lights. He looked deadly. 

“Oh, Hercules, how I've missed you,” the mad doctor laughed and purred, “come closer.”

Dad’s gaze locked on me. I shook my head. He broke into a cheesy grin.

“Now, Hercules!” 

It happened in a flash. Dad dove under cover and started firing. Oriel shrieked in absolute anger. The demons closed in on Dad. I screamed out to my father, but he couldn't possibly hear me. But Oriel did. 

Those blue eyes hit me in my soul. They were pure evil. I stood there, frozen to the spot. Oriel took a step forward, and my brain screamed at me to run. 

So I ran towards him. Oriel was caught off guard, and I slammed him into the concrete floors of the factory. I straddled him and punched him over and over. The demons were so focused on Dad, Oriel was stuck with me. 

The mad doctor pulled out a knife from his lab coat and slashed at my face. I dodged quickly and got off him. He left to his feet and with one stroke of his wings, he was airborne. He glared down at me, flapping his wings to stay aloft. 

Oriel laughed loudly, “oh, little boy soldier, you have no idea who you're messing with.”

“Hercules, Skyllar, fall back! The reinforcements are here!” Brimstone yelled over toward us. 

I ran back over to where Brimstone and Maria were hiding. I ducked behind cover. Maria pressed herself next to me, and I glanced over the cover. Dad was being dragged away by demons. I stood up and jumped over the barrier.

“Skyllar!” Brimstone snatched me back.

“Dad!” I screamed, and the echo filled the factory. I said softly, “Dad no.” 

Soldiers came to Brimstone’s side. I put my face in Brimstone’s shoulder. Maria hugged me close. 

Dad was gone, and there was no coming back.


	4. Hercules/ Skyllar

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oh, the feels! And then the drama bomb hits.

Chapter Four: Hercules/Skyllar

Hercules’ Point of View

Oriel dragged me off to his lab. He had gotten much more feminine over the years, and clearly he was recovering funding from the archangels. For the sake of everyone involved, knowing these demon probably had families, I didn't fight. Becoming a father changed me, so I had to be more compassionate. 

“Hercules, you handsome beast, you clearly have gotten rusty,” Oriel mocked me, pulling his hair back with pink ribbon. 

“And you've gotten much more feminine, my dear Oriel,” I hissed, staying still while demons chained me to a chain. 

“You've noticed! Oh, Hercules, my muse, you have no idea,” Oriel took off his lab coat, exposing a bright pink tank top, spattered in blood. 

I huffed, “what are you planning, sweetheart? Gonna try and take over the country again? Or is this you trying to play your way into the bed of a powerful demon?”

“Oh, you disgust me, Hercules! To think this is my attempt to bed a powerful demon after so long, you must have hit your head,” Oriel walked over, the distinct sound of his favorite pink boots clicking on the floor of the lab. 

I sat back, waiting. He approached me, and I smirked, scoffing. That brought a disgusting, twisted smile to his face. He sat himself on my lap, facing me. Was that… mascara?

He struck me, hard, “it's insulting. You forget even roses have thorns, Hercules. What I'm working on here is going to rock Enochia to her core!” He got up and turned on a massive computer screen, “this is my life’s dream. And this is what lies in your DNA.”

“What exactly am I looking at, my love?” I said, bracing myself against the chair and flexing my wings against my back.

“My dear Hercules, you are the grandfather of the Nexus angel!”

Skyllar’s Point Of View

The soldiers that saved us brought us to the Clearwater Military Base. And to my surprise, the archangel of war, Michael, was sitting in the command room, looking over the map of the local area. I took a moment to actually look him over. 

He was massive in comparison to me. His dark hair fell in waves down to his chin. His eyes had a stormy blue shade that gave them the air of regality. His brown crinkled in thought.

“My Grand Master General,” a soldier saluted, “I present Fifth Tier General Brimstone and the son of Fifth Tier General Hercules.”

“Hercules’ son?” Michael straightened up and looked dead at me, his eyes sparkling, “I’ve heard so much of the Jackson bloodline and its proficiency in battle, it makes me so honored to stand before one.”

“Um, um, thank you, sir,” I started blushing really hard. 

Maria rolled her eyes and smirked, “babe, it’s okay if you fanboy.”

“And who is this fierce young woman?” he turned his attention to my girlfriend, bowing before her and kissing her hand. 

“My name is Maria Cobain, daughter of Sora, and a priestess in waiting,” Maria stated, a soft smirk on her face. 

He stood up and fixed his military robes, “where is Hercules?” 

“He was captured, my Grand Master General. He fought valiantly, but he’s as good as dead,” Brimstone sighed softly, a broken look on his face. 

Hearing that, I turned and looked at the tent wall, “Brimstone, you have strayed. He is like your brother. You don’t know how that makes you look. What are you, a ranker?” 

Brimstone’s eyes flared. To call a Fifth Tier General a ranker, I was basically sentencing myself to death. Rankers were soldiers who cuddled up close to more powerful soldiers and feed off their successes like parasites. And they were considered scum. 

“Oh, my child, we will send as many search parties to find him. But his chances are not good,” Michael said softly to me. 

Hercules’ Point Of View

“The Nexus angel is a myth, Oriel,” I hissed, straining against the bonds.

“But even myths have ounces of truth, sweetheart. By my calculations, the Nexus angel is going to be sired by your son. Oh, he’s a cute one. A brunette no less. Immediately inclined to be smart. And that little priestess of his, she’s going to carry it. What a lovely fairy tale, Hercules,” Oriel smiled, looking at his nails, “only if I could carry her. That would be glorious. There’s rumors already she’s pregnant. And all I would need to do is to rip that child from her dead body, and raise it as mine.” 

“You’re a conniving little creature, aren’t you, dear Oriel? Did Daddy not love you enough?” I jeered, stabbing him with words. 

“At least I didn’t murder my Daddy,” he laughed a sick little laugh. 

“Oh, hardee-har-har, Oriel. I have no regrets. We all know you’re not the brains of this operation. You’re not manly enough,” I propped my boots up on the table, “oops, your goons forgot to tie my legs to the chair, dear.”

Oriel’s eyes widened, and I bit back a loud laugh. He growled and slapped me, scratching my face with his nails. I broke my torso free and shoved him into the table, making him cry out like a kicked puppy. 

“Hercules, how-” he struggled to catch his breath. 

“Shut up!” I screamed at him, wrapping his hands around his throat, “you are disgusting!!!”

His eyes filled with fear, and he started breathing quickly, “Hercules, have mercy.” 

“I won’t. I’m not weak!!!” I squeezed hard. 

He struggled against me, his tiny frame just a bug against my strength. I realized what I was doing, and I let go of him. I started shaking really hard. He stared at me like a wounded animal. He began to cry. 

“I’m sorry, Diana, I’m sorry,” I sank to my knees, “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

“Hercules, are you… Oh, I’m sorry, too,” Oriel sat down in front of me. 

“I…”

“It’s okay, sweetheart. I was pushing your buttons. What am I doing?” he sighed, “I feel really bad. Can you forgive me, my General?”

“You have strayed, but I think I can forgive you for now. Be a good medic, and help me up,” I pulled him into a hug. 

“Oriel, I knew you were weak,” a deep voice echoed across the lab.


	5. Chapter Five: Skyllar/Hercules

Chapter Five: Skyllar/Hercules

Skyllar’s Point Of View

Maria and I talked for a long time about the options in front of us. With my dad gone, I was grieving, and Michael was anxious to make me a member of the Elite Guard. And then there was the matter of my mother and my siblings. 

“You know Sky, we just go ahead and get married right here and now. Michael’s the closest thing we have to a priest, and if you go off to war, and something happens, I’ll be the first person they call,” she spoke softly, as if she was sad. 

“I think he can manage that, honey,” I pulled her into a hug, “it’s clear he favors me.” 

“Oh of course. Who wouldn’t?” Michael stepped out of the shadows, “I’m new to the whole commanding an army thing. Saraqael took care of military strategy. Now it’s in my hands.”

“Well I think I can help. Military stories was all my dad talked about,” I sighed and leaned back into the soft grass. 

“That must be a high standard to live to,” Michael sat down next to me, “so, you want to do the vows now or not?” 

Maria smiled, “of course. Let's get started.” 

Hercules’ Point Of View

I looked around to see where the resounding voice was coming from. Oriel still groggy from the throttling he received at the hands of me, attempted to stand while hand grooming himself to be prim and presentable. Diana, dressed in full battle armor, walked into the room. I crumbled to the floor at this shocking revelation, quivering with so much conflicting emotion. Diana approached me. She lifted me up and guided me to a chair. She brushed past Oriel, who perked up with her presence. Diana walked through the disheveled room and over to the undisturbed computer monitor.

 

“Have you ever wondered why it is that some angels never fought against the demons, my love?” Diana addressed me directly.

 

“…no.” I responded heartbroken and mentally drained.

 

“Vampires, they have many unique abilities, one being ‘a sight beyond’. With that ability they see things are they are. If you are a good person, they see it, if you are a bad person, they see it. We learned a few things from vampires; first being, they are not our enemy, second being, we are being manipulated.” Diana touched her cheek. 

Diana turned, her body facing me, but her head turned to the left, looking downward. I rose and carefully stepped towards Diana, she pushed me down with such strength that even I couldn’t believe.

 

“Have you ever wondered why there are so many arbitrary laws that we angels have to adhere to? Not all unions can bear fruit, but what would happen if one did?” she questioned. 

“I still don’t understand,” I said, confused.

 

She continued, “we are fighting a losing battle, even if we win. What happens when both sides of a war sit down to talk? Have you ever heard from the demons side of things? When hunting a vampire one day he asked me why we hunt them when they haven’t committed any crime. That made me question my own actions for the first time. So we talked, he asked why angels fight one another, I said we don’t we fight demons. Turns out I was wrong again.”

“Why didn't you tell me about this?” I implored of her, having never known her status as a general.

Oriel chuckled, “because God forbid you find out about Lady Nightrose, and you leave her.”

“Nightrose? Nightrose! You're Lady Nightrose?!” I screamed at her.

“Of course. Who else would be able to deal out such casualties? A nurse with the knowledge of pressure points and arteries could easily cause so much carnage,” Diana boasted, “two hundred thousand dead, dear.”

“Diana, do you still love me? After all these years of hiding from me, do you still love me?” I urged her. 

“Yes, my love. Now, let's get started with this information,” she pulled a flash drive from her bust and put it into the USB port of the computer. 

Oriel stretched and sat down beside me. I watched Diana, so confused. He put his hand on my shoulder. He had a soft, reassuring countenance, but it did nothing to ease my distress.

Intercepted Transmission

Unknown voice 1, “Oriel has done well. He is no longer a necessity.”

 

Unknown voice 2, “I don’t like all this waiting. It is our time. This is our home after all.”

 

Unknown voice 1, “Every rushed attempt leads to failure, have patience.”

 

Unknown voice 3, “We now have all the information that Oriel has accumulated. Let the angels have the facility. I also had a change of plans, a quicker way to eliminate our problem, but that will take a while.”

 

Unknown voice 2, “A quicker plan that takes longer? Why does everything have to take so much time, even things that are quicker?”

 

Unknown voice 1, “Is there anything you have to do in the meantime?”

Unknown voice 3, “knowing him, he's got a hooker to rut. As for me, I'm going to curl up with a nice cup of coffee and a research paper.”

Unknown voice 2, “keep in mind I'm with Gabriel, okay? I'm staying faithful.” 

Unknown voice 1, “let’s be serious. We all have a job to do.”

Unknown voice 2, “party pooper. Let’s just get this over with. I’m tired of hiding in the shadows. The Nexus Angel will be brought into existence any day now.” 

Unknown voice 3, “and my research will be completed eventually. It takes seventeen years for the Nexus Angel to mature and begin conversion. We don’t know if this one will even survive the conversion phases.”

Unknown voice 4, “she has the Gate, stupid. We’ve heard the priestess. She’s got the Gate in her corner. Not to mention she’s going to have Cesario, too. She’ll survive.” 

Unknown voice 3, “I just hope you’re right.”


End file.
